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Jam them through –> Senate Republicans have a plan to make sure the public doesn’t pay much heed to the various conflicts of interest posed by Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees: Hold hearings for six of them on the same day, Igor Bobic reports for The Huffington Post.

Also on the same day, Donald Trump will hold his first press conference since his victory and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will also hold votes to begin the process of repealing Obamacare on that Wednesday. Amid all the noise, Republicans hope the president-elect’s nominees will slide through without any one of them drawing too much public outrage.

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"House Republicans voted to hide the actual cost of repealing the Affordable Care Act from the American public and how we’d spend $9 Trillion dollars to gut our country’s health care systems and deny access to millions of people. First, a Bloomberg reporter discovered that the Republicans call their needless deficit spike an “appropriate” level of public debt:

repealing Obamacare will act like an anti-jobs bill too. By 2019 alone, the Commonwealth Fund estimates that House Republicans repeal plans will wipe out billions in state tax revenues and kill 2.6 million private sector jobs:...

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"House Republicans voted to hide the actual cost of repealing the Affordable Care Act from the American public and how we’d spend $9 Trillion dollars to gut our country’s health care systems and deny access to millions of people. First, a Bloomberg reporter discovered that the Republicans call their needless deficit spike an “appropriate” level of public debt:

repealing Obamacare will act like an anti-jobs bill too. By 2019 alone, the Commonwealth Fund estimates that House Republicans repeal plans will wipe out billions in state tax revenues and kill 2.6 million private sector jobs:...

you all had all of 2016 to reason to run someone other than hillary but you let three ardent one-issue feminists debbie wasserman schultz, donna brazile and jennifer granholm shove an unlikeable witch up all your kazoos.

you can't blame that on donald trump.

you all shoulda gone with someone other than her, you really, really should have.

"Republicans stormed to power in state elections across the country in November on a promise to take on the establishment and return government to the average citizen.

But in state capitals where they gained control, they moved quickly to do something else entirely: They’ve consolidated their newfound power — and rewarded their corporate donors — by delivering death blows to a longtime enemy: organized labor.

In Kentucky, Missouri, and New Hampshire, three states that flipped to unified Republican control, legislators have prioritized passing Right to Work, a law that quickly diminishes union power by allowing workers in unionized workplaces to withhold fees used to organize and advocate on their behalf....

"Republicans stormed to power in state elections across the country in November on a promise to take on the establishment and return government to the average citizen.

But in state capitals where they gained control, they moved quickly to do something else entirely: They’ve consolidated their newfound power — and rewarded their corporate donors — by delivering death blows to a longtime enemy: organized labor.

In Kentucky, Missouri, and New Hampshire, three states that flipped to unified Republican control, legislators have prioritized passing Right to Work, a law that quickly diminishes union power by allowing workers in unionized workplaces to withhold fees used to organize and advocate on their behalf....

This is what I meant by GOP brainwashing and conditioning blue collar workers into thinking that they were the answer. They are the antithesis to the answer but they do a great job of bamboozling and messaging.

"Republicans stormed to power in state elections across the country in November on a promise to take on the establishment and return government to the average citizen.

But in state capitals where they gained control, they moved quickly to do something else entirely: They’ve consolidated their newfound power — and rewarded their corporate donors — by delivering death blows to a longtime enemy: organized labor.

In Kentucky, Missouri, and New Hampshire, three states that flipped to unified Republican control, legislators have prioritized passing Right to Work, a law that quickly diminishes union power by allowing workers in unionized workplaces to withhold fees used to organize and advocate on their behalf....

To clarify, I live in a state that has always been right to work. Right to work is a euphemism for right to abuse workers. It is far more dangerous than just being anti-union. It is a philosophy enabled by government regulations that diminishes workers compsensation, minimum wage, eligibility for unemployment and a long list of things to protect workers.

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what madness? continued respect for judeo-christian mores which have been the underpinning of western civilization for the last five centuries?

or the crazy notion that an unbridled federal bureaucracy cannot be a substitute for a people's free will?

yeah, those two things are crazy alright.

Nip, haven't you learned YET that the GOP's "respect" for Judeo-Christian mores is only really ever alluded to every four years in order to schnooker people for VOTES? And besides....

I don't recall hearing much, if ANY "respect" for Judeo-Christian mores in any of President-elect PLUMP's campaign rhetoric. And the fact that you never seem to CAPITALIZE "Judeo-Christian" shows YOU don't seem to have that much respect for them either.

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Nip, haven't you learned YET that the GOP's "respect" for Judeo-Christian mores is only really ever alluded to every four years in order to schnooker people for VOTES? And besides....

I don't recall hearing much, if ANY "respect" for Judeo-Christian mores in any of President-elect PLUMP's campaign rhetoric. And the fact that you never seem to CAPITALIZE "Judeo-Christian" shows YOU don't seem to have that much respect for them either.

Sepiatone

Nip, Jake, et. al. have no concept of what Judeo-Christian mores really are. Neither do most Republicans. They would all be an embarassment to Christ, Moses and all the others.

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To clarify, I live in a state that has always been right to work. Right to work is a euphemism for right to abuse workers. It is far more dangerous than just being anti-union. It is a philosophy enabled by government regulations that diminishes workers compsensation, minimum wage, eligibility for unemployment and a long list of things to protect workers.

Cid just read your post. I remember when Pa. became a "right to work" state in the mid '70's IIRC.

A Lot of ppl i knew left Pa because of it.Moved to other states like Nevada which was not a right to work state at that time.

their reasoning was much like what you stated above,and calling "right to work" a euphemism for "right to fire ya" for any reason or no reason at all.

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Nip, Jake, et. al. have no concept of what Judeo-Christian mores really are. Neither do most Republicans. They would all be an embarassment to Christ, Moses and all the others.

Incidentally, Islamic mores are the same mores as Judeo-Christian.

Decidedly so. Many acquaintances of mine who are Islamic actually DO condemn the actions of "Muslim extremists" citing that Allah does NOT condone butchery of innocent people in His name. The similarities of Islam and Judaism AND Christianity are greater than the differences. And let's not forget my favorite MARK TWAIN quote----"If Jesus Christ was alive today, the LAST thing he'd want to be known as is a "Christian."

Right to work-----

I hired into General Motors at a time when there were still old timers there who hired in just before the U.A.W. accomplished their goal of organizing the big three. And I grew up with family who worked both before and after "Uncle John" Lewis organized mine workers in Pennsylvania.

The horror stories I've heard from various individuals from either group of how workers were treated before union organization never varied. Matter of fact, my Grandfather got hired into the Cadillac plant I MYSELF hired into 40 years later told me HE got his job because he happened to be passing by the plant on his way to catch a bus just as a guy was escorted out of the plant after being fired because he took 10 SECONDS too long to take a leak. And THAT guy had 20 YEARS seniority at the time!

Now, there have been times I never went along with everything my union manages to do, but I retired from GM a year and a half before my 30 with what's called a "medical disability" retirement and pension. Something that DIDN'T EXIST before union organization.

Sepiatone

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Decidedly so. Many acquaintances of mine who are Islamic actually DO condemn the actions of "Muslim extremists" citing that Allah does NOT condone butchery of innocent people in His name. The similarities of Islam and Judaism AND Christianity are greater than the differences. And let's not forget my favorite MARK TWAIN quote----"If Jesus Christ was alive today, the LAST thing he'd want to be known as is a "Christian."

Right to work-----

I hired into General Motors at a time when there were still old timers there who hired in just before the U.A.W. accomplished their goal of organizing the big three. And I grew up with family who worked both before and after "Uncle John" Lewis organized mine workers in Pennsylvania.

The horror stories I've heard from various individuals from either group of how workers were treated before union organization never varied. Matter of fact, my Grandfather got hired into the Cadillac plant I MYSELF hired into 40 years later told me HE got his job because he happened to be passing by the plant on his way to catch a bus just as a guy was escorted out of the plant after being fired because he took 10 SECONDS too long to take a leak. And THAT guy had 20 YEARS seniority at the time!

Now, there have been times I never went along with everything my union manages to do, but I retired from GM a year and a half before my 30 with what's called a "medical disability" retirement and pension. Something that DIDN'T EXIST before union organization.

Sepiatone

in fact, I DO believe there is a departure between true christian behavior and many professing christians so I agree with that.

but the left insists that tolerance extend so far that sinful behavior is no longer considered or even recognized as being sin. nothing is sinful and ultimately acceptable according to the fiat of the individual.

so mainstream 'christians' are not completely unchristian and out of line pointing it out.

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in fact, I DO believe there is a departure between true christian behavior and many professing christians so I agree with that.

but the left insists that tolerance extend so far that sinful behavior is no longer considered or even recognized as being sin. nothing is sinful and ultimately acceptable according to the fiat of the individual.

so mainstream 'christians' are not completely unchristian and out of line pointing it out.

But further realize----

Instead of blaming that ambiguous "left" of yours, you should be blaming the FIRST AMENDMENT ( "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion; Nor prohibit the free excersize thereof....") indicating that nobody is required to adhere to "Judeo-Christian mores". But anybody is FREE to, IF they so CHOOSE. And that also includes the LAWS that the legislature draws up.

In other words, they can't legislate personal behavior just because "The BIBLE says so."

Sepiatone

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Instead of blaming that ambiguous "left" of yours, you should be blaming the FIRST AMENDMENT ( "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion; Nor prohibit the free excersize thereof....") indicating that nobody is required to adhere to "Judeo-Christian mores". But anybody is FREE to, IF they so CHOOSE. And that also includes the LAWS that the legislature draws up.

In other words, they can't legislate personal behavior just because "The BIBLE says so."

Sepiatone

Very few people, especially Christians, realize that the books/stories in The Bible are very similar to stories in other religions that pre-date Christianity and maybe even Judaism.

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"Republicans, now wielding total control of the Kentucky state legislature for the first time in nearly a century, exerted their power this weekend to pass a slew of measures that weaken workers' and women's rights.....

"ALEC — briefed its members and allied groups on the bright future for its agenda now that Republicans will effectively control 68 of the nation’s 99 state legislative bodies, as well as 33 governor’s mansions. Among other things, group members said they would push bills to reduce corporate taxes, weaken unions, privatize schooling and influence the ideological debate on college campuses....

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"Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) isn’t waiting for a Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) to repeal President Obama’s signature healthcare reform law. King introduced an Obamacare repeal bill on the first day of the 115th Congress, and told NPR’s Robert Siegel that even if the healthcare law were repealed with no replacement, he would still view that as a better option than Obamacare.

While acknowledging that immediate repeal of the Affordable Care Act would mean that roughly 20 million people would lose their health insurance, King wrote it off as collateral damage, stating that approximately 10.8 million of those people would still qualify for Medicaid.

Although when it came to the remaining 9.2 million, Rep. King just shrugged....

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"Over the past few weeks, Republican legislators across the country have quietly introduced a number of proposals to criminalize and discourage peaceful protest.

The proposals, which strengthen or supplement existing laws addressing the blocking or obstructing of traffic, come in response to a string of high-profile highway closures and other actions led by Black Lives Matter activists and opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Republicans reasonably expect an invigorated protest movement during the Trump years.

In North Dakota, for instance, Republicans introduced a bill last week that would allow motorists to run over and kill any protester obstructing a highway as long as a driver does so accidentally. In Minnesota, a bill introduced by Republicans last week seeks to dramatically stiffen fines for freeway protests and would allow prosecutors to seek a full year of jail time for protesters blocking a highway. Republicans in Washington state have proposed a plan to reclassify as a felony civil disobedience protests that are deemed “economic terrorism.”............(more)

“I think that the motivations for the Republican legislators proposing bills to penalize protests are to cater to the general public hostility towards Black Lives Matter in the overwhelmingly white suburban and rural districts they represent,” said Kushner in an email. “The goal is to criminalize protesting to a greater degree and thereby discourage public dissent.”

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"Over the past few weeks, Republican legislators across the country have quietly introduced a number of proposals to criminalize and discourage peaceful protest.

The proposals, which strengthen or supplement existing laws addressing the blocking or obstructing of traffic, come in response to a string of high-profile highway closures and other actions led by Black Lives Matter activists and opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Republicans reasonably expect an invigorated protest movement during the Trump years.

In North Dakota, for instance, Republicans introduced a bill last week that would allow motorists to run over and kill any protester obstructing a highway as long as a driver does so accidentally. In Minnesota, a bill introduced by Republicans last week seeks to dramatically stiffen fines for freeway protests and would allow prosecutors to seek a full year of jail time for protesters blocking a highway. Republicans in Washington state have proposed a plan to reclassify as a felony civil disobedience protests that are deemed “economic terrorism.”............(more)

“I think that the motivations for the Republican legislators proposing bills to penalize protests are to cater to the general public hostility towards Black Lives Matter in the overwhelmingly white suburban and rural districts they represent,” said Kushner in an email. “The goal is to criminalize protesting to a greater degree and thereby discourage public dissent.”

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"Republicans, now wielding total control of the Kentucky state legislature for the first time in nearly a century, exerted their power this weekend to pass a slew of measures that weaken workers' and women's rights.....

"ALEC — briefed its members and allied groups on the bright future for its agenda now that Republicans will effectively control 68 of the nation’s 99 state legislative bodies, as well as 33 governor’s mansions. Among other things, group members said they would push bills to reduce corporate taxes, weaken unions, privatize schooling and influence the ideological debate on college campuses....

The worst aspect of ALEC is that it takes advantage of the incompetant, lazy and just plan dumb state legislators and governors. ALEC employees write the bills and send them to their adherents in the state legislatures, who then adopt them without really knowing or caring what the bills actually say or do.

Wouldn't surprise me that there is a federal equivalent of ALEC or that the ALEC proposals will percolate up to Congress and president.